This afternoon I had the option of moving several thousand kilograms of soil from the end of my garden to a skip or paint in the warm comfort of my studio. I put on two pairs of gloves and two coats to save me from the sub zero temperatures and started wheel barrowing the soil into the skip. I figured I would warm up but after 20 minutes I settled for the sensible choice of an afternoons painting. There is something contrary in my character that doesn’t go for the easy option. However, no regrets. This painting has started to become something more than mere illustration. I have avoided painting every single leaf but I have opted to really explore the detail and rhythms in this tree. A few apples appearing, which is nice.
The apple tree. Day 4